Opening Day 2018 (Take 2)

After yesterday’s cold and wet pushed back the openers a day, the Pirates get ready to take on the Tigers in Detroit’s Comerica Park at 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Today is expected to be mostly cloudy with temperatures in the low 40’s.

The Pirates send out verteran righthander Ivan Nova, 11-14 with a 4.14 ERA last year, against the Tiger’s free agent acquisition of a year ago, Jordan Zimmermann, who struggled through 2017 with a 8-13 record an a 6.08 ERA.

Last year Zimmerman’s 4-seam fastball averaged 92.2 mph, down from his peak of 93.9 in 2013. Against right-handed batters he throws that 4-seamer 44% of the time, with a 62% strike rate (about average), a 10% whiff rate and only a 29% ground ball rate. He follows that up with his slider 33% and curve 13% of the time. Against left-handed betters he throws the 4-seamers 49% of the time, with a 67% strike rate, 14% whiff rate, and 24% ground ball rate, and switches use of the off-speed, with the curve at 18% and slider at 15% of his pitches.

In the Pirates’ lineup, Adam Frazier will be the designated hitter, while newcomers Corey Dickerson hits fifth in left field and Colin Moran eighth at third base.

The Tigers’ lineup features former American League MVP Miguel Cabrera at first base, followed by Nicholas Castellanos who’s now a right fielder, and Victor Martinez at designated hitter. At which point I have to go to my database to see who the rest of these guys are (seriously, I had to look up four of the batters to see which side they batted from)

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PIRATES

1 L DH Adam Frazier

2 R 2B Josh Harrison

3 L RF Gregory Polanco

4 S 1B Josh Bell

5 L LF Corey Dickerson

6 R CF Starling Marte

7 R C Francisco Cervelli

8 L 3B Colin Moran

9 R SS Jordy Mercer

RHP Ivan Nova

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TIGERS

1 L CF Leonys Martin

2 S 3B Jeimer Candelario

3 R 1B Miguel Cabrera

4 R Nicholas Castellanos

5 S DH Victor Martinez

6 R C James McCann

7 R LF Mikie Magtook

8 R SS Jose Iglesias

9 R 2B Dixon Machado

RHP Jordan Zimmermann